The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) team in the school is led by Mrs Susan Whitlock. We offer a range of support for your child. If you have any concerns/queries please do not hesitate to contact her to discuss your child’s needs. We have good links with a range of specialists to provide support for children with SEND.

Downlands is a Level 2 Rights Respecting School and believes in the Rights of the Child as the UN convention sets out.

As a serving member of the Armed Forces you are in a unique environment and we at Downlands recognise this and endeavour to make the transition from school to school as smooth as possible for both you and your child/children.

As a school we are proactive in identifying any difficulties that could hamper your child’s progress. We are well aware that transition times can hamper progress in a variety of ways. We endeavour to work with you and your child to get the best possible outcome so that your child enjoys his/her learning and learns the key ingredients to being a good learner and the way he/she learns best.

The Local Offer?
In 2012 the former Children’s Minister Sarah Teather explained that:
“It is a huge step forward to require health, education and care services work together. The reforms will give parents better information and a comprehensive package of support that meets their needs”.
Dorset Local Authority and other services have set out a local offer of all services available to support children who are disabled or who have SEN and their families. The local offer enables families to understand what services they can access and what support they can expect from a range of local agencies, including from the local authority, health services, schools, leisure services and the voluntary sector. The offer includes provision from birth to 25, across education, health and social care.
The outcomes of the Local Offer are:

To provide clarity and confidence for parents

To support earlier intervention

To reduce the need for assessment

To identify need and gaps in provision

To provide an evidence base for improving progress and securing better outcomes, at school and local level.